House Call - health advice - Brief Article

Ebony, Jan, 2001

Expert Advice on Health and Fitness

Q

`Diabetes seems to run in my family. Is my child likely to become a victim?'

FAMILY HISTORY AND DIABETES

My husband and I have finally decided to begin a family, and we are very excited about becoming parents. But I am concerned because of family history when it comes to diabetes. Several of my relatives have become victims of the disease, but they are managing to keep it under control. I'm not a victim. But since diabetes seems to run in my family, is my child likely to become a victim? E.M., Atlanta

A

There is strong evidence that some people are born with a greater risk of contracting diabetes than others. Unfortunately, you--as an African-American--are in one group that is likely to inherit a predisposition for the disease. Type 2 diabetes (also called adult-onset diabetes) is the most common type of diabetes and typically appears after age 30. Medical officials say nearly 11 percent of all African-Americans have type 2 diabetes. And since it frequently runs in families, you should be concerned about the inherited tendency to develop this disease.

You say that, although several of your relatives have diabetes, fortunately you are not a victim. But, unfortunately, your family history indicates that you too might have acquired thc inherited factor for type 2 diabetes.

How does that relate to any children you might have? Studies indicate that if one parent has type 2 diabetes, then the risk of your child getting diabetes is 1 in 7 if you are diagnosed before age 50 and 1 in 13 if you are diagnosed after age 50. Doctors say if both parents have type 2 diabetes, the child's risk is about 1 in 2.

Q

OTHER BENEFITS OF THE PILL

I am a 48-year-old mother of three children, and my husband and I have no intention of having more. I have never used birth control pills, but I am considering it now--not to prevent pregnancy, but to see if I can experience some of the other benefits I've heard other people talk about. Aside from birth control, what other benefits does the pill provide? M.L., Asheville, N.C.

A

There are many women, like you, who say contraception is no longer an issue in their lives, but they continue to use (or are thinking about using) birth control pills, primarily to deal with some of the most annoying symptoms of menopause--including insomnia, night sweats and hot flashes.

The pill, which contains hormones that prevent ovulation, has been cited for several other non-contraceptive benefits since it was introduced 40 years ago. According to a poll by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, two of the most frequently mentioned non-contraceptive benefits associated with the pill are acne control and regulation of menstrual cycles.

Although doctors stress that the pill is not right for all women, they say it also has been proved to lower risks of certain cancers, breast cysts and inflammatory diseases of the pelvis. Additionally, there's evidence birth control pills can help in the fight against osteoporosis and hormone imbalances that affect some premenopausal women.

Q

INCREASE IN GONORRHEA CASES

I just turned 50 years old, which prompted me to start thinking about the "old days." While thinking back, I realized that with so much talk about AIDS, we hear very little today about gonorrhea, which was the thing we were concerned about years ago. Is it still affecting people in the numbers it used to? C.N., Birmingham

A

You're right, gonorrhea does not receive the media attention it did years ago, perhaps because--unlike AIDS--it is not life-threatening. But it is still prevalent. A nationwide Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey found a 9 percent increase in the rate of gonorrhea after 12 consecutive years of decline. Doctors speculate that cases have risen primarily because more people are abandoning safe-sex practices following the arrival of more effective drugs to fight the disease.